[Bailey the Dobie]

I bought a Doberman partly because i wanted a dog that could follow me on runs, XC-skiing and mountainbike rides on trails. A training companion.

My dog is now 2,5 years old and i am still having issues.
She could not be off leash, as she show aggression to some dogs ands some people, not often but it happens. Runs towards them and barks loudly.

When jogging/running she gets stressed and turnes into biting mode, she needs to get something to bite on which more often are my hands or shoe lices
XC skiing, after 15 sessions and 10 hours. Still stressed and are not able to walk beside me or to pull the leash, max 100m at a time before stressing out.
MTB riding, jumping, biting after the bars, feets, arms, running in front of the bike. Note able to walk or run beside me. Endless hours used
In these aspects the progress is slow and very limited.
Walking with leash she is mostly real nice, still some puupy issues every now and then

I am not a first time dog owner so this aspect of the Dobermann is a real disappoitment, a big one.

Other commands is learnt fast and easy and she is trainable in some aspects

What are your excperiences and advices ?

 

[falnfenix]

I mean, I'd keep her leashed. Get a belt leash and keep her leashed to you. Correct the unwanted behavior. This is absolutely an obedience issue, and would make me revisit it.

Have you brought this up with your trainer? What do they say?

 

[Bailey the Dobie]

I mean, I'd keep her leashed. Get a belt leash and keep her leashed to you. Correct the unwanted behavior. This is absolutely an obedience issue, and would make me revisit it. Have you brought this up with your trainer? What do they say?

I dont have a trainer; i am using forums like this as best as i can

 

[CRDobe]

This forum is no substitute for a good trainer, you need to find one. These are all fixable issues if you're willing to put in the time.

 

[js4fnn]

Have you tried giving her something to carry in her mouth. Like a short stick piece of soft plastic pipe
How fast are you trying to get her to run maybe she’s just not into it

 

[falnfenix]

I dont have a trainer; i am using forums like this as best as i can

Time to find a trainer. You need someone else working with you in person.

 

[4x4bike ped]

Hi BtD.

So... My wife was a marathoner, and is still an avid distance walker. I was a wilderness hiker and a road and mountain bike rider. Although knee and hip replacements have pretty much curtailed my extreme outdoor activities. Over the years, when properly outfitted and in appropriate weather conditions, our Dobermans have accompanied us:

-Hiking (urban, rural and wilderness)
-Bicycling (urban and trail)
-Snow Showing
-Nordic Skiing

Winter sports and some summer activity (eg: wilderness hiking on rough terrain) require boots. As Dobermans are generally quite heat/cold affected, temperature is a huge consideration. We use raincoats, fleece and fleece lined coats and a Ruffwear swamp cooler vest (for hot weather) to mitigate the temperature extremes.

Your dog's actions, and lack of consistent cooperation are, IMO simply training issues. Basically: Operator Error. LOL. As others have indicated a professional trainer, familiar with working dogs can absolutely help with regard to both on leash and off leash command compliance.

For example: My son has owned and raised Dobermans his entire adult life. His dogs have always been well trained. This go-around he enlisted that help if a trainer very familiar with working breeds (mostly Malinois dogs). Much of his current 2 year old's, off very good off-leash command and behavioral biddability was reinforced with the proper and consistent use of an e-collar.

We have a cabin in a rather remote area of Montana. Wildlife and other dangers demand pretty much perfect off-leash recall, at all times. We also live right next to a 11,000 foot mountain, that this snow year to has already received over 450" of snow. A dog that is not properly trained, when in environments such a these, can very quickly find themselves in a world in a world of hurt.

The bottom line is that with the exception of swimming, our dogs have been ultimately train to accompany us on pretty much any outdoor activity that we have included them in. Swimming (not dog paddling) has been more about the dog's innate interest and natural ability. And if the dog doesn't have any interest, we do not press. the issue. About 1/3 of our dogs have taken to water, another 1/3 are relatively ambivalent and the remaining dogs would have NOTHING to do with swimming. LOL

If you do enlist the aid of a professional trainer, you should attempt to find one that is familiar with dealing with working dogs.

Best to you and your girl. Don't give up!

John L
Portland OR

 

[Alida]

I bought a Doberman partly because i wanted a dog that could follow me on runs, XC-skiing and mountainbike rides on trails. A training companion.

My dog is now 2,5 years old and i am still having issues.
She could not be off leash, as she show aggression to some dogs ands some people, not often but it happens. Runs towards them and barks loudly.

When jogging/running she gets stressed and turnes into biting mode, she needs to get something to bite on which more often are my hands or shoe lices
XC skiing, after 15 sessions and 10 hours. Still stressed and are not able to walk beside me or to pull the leash, max 100m at a time before stressing out.
MTB riding, jumping, biting after the bars, feets, arms, running in front of the bike. Note able to walk or run beside me. Endless hours used
In these aspects the progress is slow and very limited.
Walking with leash she is mostly real nice, still some puupy issues every now and then

I am not a first time dog owner so this aspect of the Dobermann is a real disappoitment, a big one.

Other commands is learnt fast and easy and she is trainable in some aspects

What are your excperiences and advices ?

What sort of foundation training did you do with your pup?

 

[MikeP]

I bought a Doberman partly because i wanted a dog that could follow me on runs, XC-skiing and mountainbike rides on trails. A training companion.

My dog is now 2,5 years old and i am still having issues.
She could not be off leash, as she show aggression to some dogs ands some people, not often but it happens. Runs towards them and barks loudly.

When jogging/running she gets stressed and turnes into biting mode, she needs to get something to bite on which more often are my hands or shoe lices
XC skiing, after 15 sessions and 10 hours. Still stressed and are not able to walk beside me or to pull the leash, max 100m at a time before stressing out.
MTB riding, jumping, biting after the bars, feets, arms, running in front of the bike. Note able to walk or run beside me. Endless hours used
In these aspects the progress is slow and very limited.
Walking with leash she is mostly real nice, still some puupy issues every now and then

I am not a first time dog owner so this aspect of the Dobermann is a real disappoitment, a big one.

Other commands is learnt fast and easy and she is trainable in some aspects

What are your excperiences and advices ?

Bailey........ there are some silver linings to the dark clouds of disappointment that you painted— in the sense that your Dobermann DOES want to run ahead of you during your mountain biking. Same goes for her willingness to pull you on your X-country skis.

I would utilize a bikejouring kit with shock absorbing flex/bungee end come spring or now if snow is currently lacking which I doubt to be the the case above the 60 degree North Latitude of Norway. That fore-mentioned method activity to harness and expend a dog's energy and drive has worked consistently for me in both bikejouring and in a related to X-Country ski-like activity as would be in paved surface in-line skating : different yet similar— striding lower body limbs on equipment to aid in propelling skier/ skater forward.

The key to initiate the dog to that form of activity is a LONG line (20 to 30 ft) with a shock absorbing section at the end to functionally ease into the transition of speed from zero to whatever sprint speed the dog attains within the extent of the restraining long line. Control can be acquired shortly after the initial burst of energy. Make the activity more interesting than inhibiting. Abide by safety protocol as speeds will/can reach sustained levels of 20 to 30 kms per hr.

IMHO if your dog has shown motivation in the past to engage in such activity then perhaps restraining the dog is where conflict is being acted out. Speed and forward momentum is key if a dog is high drive. If a handler's level of engagement doesn't meet that of the dog, then IMHO progress will be tedious and painfully slow.

Choose portions of designated paths at times of day where behaviour triggering distraction at first is zero. That might be an impossibility with public saturation of popular trails— great for when I was in-line skating in tow of a sprinting Dobe impervious to approaching or surrounding distraction. Ironically I use the the miles of quiet suburban streets in my neighbourhood (bikework) during near zero traffic hours and use a short 4>6 ft. lead tandem bungee line for safety and adequate resistance before the stretch reaches the extent of the bungee properties. Winter isn't a deterrent as roads and sidewalks here are cleared within 24 hours. City bylaw.

Sounds like the other issues you outlined are obedience related that the anticipated and exciting outdoor activity has catapulted Bailey's drive behaviour into 'over-drive' as expressed by her jumping and nipping etc. etc. at the onset of anticipated 'play' activity.

Meet the demands of Bailey's drive and you could very well discover the Doberman training partner you visualized in having. She seemingly appears as a disappointment to you and hopefully that will improve. Initiate some play at the onset of your outdoor ventures with an impromptu game of tug engaging in seeming useless obedience:— except utilize the tug that can induce simplistic obedience behaviour by being a lure to incite behaviour and provide directional guidance and also by being both a reinforcer and ultimately reward for compliance. A ball-on-a-rope or linen bite roll should serve that purpose for lure, reinforcer and reward.

You just might not be 'seeing the forest for the trees' regarding misinterpreting high drive as poor behaviour — that in essence it can be, only if not appropriately channeled. Work through it ......whatever issues you are having difficulty with have been addressed and rectified countless times in the past with high drive k-9 'personalities'.
Mike

 

[Bailey the Dobie]

Most basic training has been learned rather easy. compared to ''most'' dogs she is well mannered. she handles all basic commands and some cool stuff. will teach her how to find mushrooms later on

Jogging has worked fairly well, 20-30 minutes runs are ok until we are 5minutes away from home, massive biting issue. gives her treats/sticks etc which calms her somewhat down

Walking or running beside a bicycle, with or without bikejouring kit, holy crap. as long as i walk beside the bike everything is ok, when i sit on the bike hyper mode is angaged and hell brakes lose when i start to pedal. have tried treats, toys, sticks, start-stop-start, start-sit (calm down)-start. massive issues with biting in left fot/arm/brakes and barking, jumping. massive overload of fun. Used 100hours maybe

XC, well the skislopes are not safe with her around. will only pull if someone is in front of her, and then nothing stops her. when we are alone, jumping issues, biting in leash, stepping on skiis, running in front of skiis, finds it very hard to go heel.Used 10-20 hours

common for jogging/skiing/biking - if she is off leash she will stay within 5-10meters but mostly close, if picking up any speed at all - trouble starts.
she cannot go off leash yet due to some ''issues''
the stop-sit-calm down-start procedure works, but there is very little progress

no professional trainers locally
there is a local XC skijouring club, with classes for kids and groups for advanced competition, we do not fit in either group. maybe in the competition group whe everything is sorted
have not yet used electrical collar as this is not allowed in Norway, might try that later on (dont tell anyone)
most of the time she is very nice indeed, like a Golden Retriever 80% of the time and 5% untrained guard dog

 

[dogperson]

You're in Norway, in the land of one of my idols, Turid Ruugas! Are you sure there aren't places you can find a trainer in towns nearby? It really does sound like a training issue. The jumping and biting may be overstimulation, lack of direction, lack of impulse control. I would not let her repeat these behaviours until you get professional guidance, since the more she is allowed to do those behaviours, the more ingrained they will become.

 

[sissl]

Walking or running beside a bicycle, with or without bikejouring kit, holy crap. as long as i walk beside the bike everything is ok, when i sit on the bike hyper mode is angaged and hell brakes lose when i start to pedal. have tried treats, toys, sticks, start-stop-start, start-sit (calm down)-start. massive issues with biting in left fot/arm/brakes and barking, jumping. massive overload of fun. Used 100hours maybe

This is not worth it until she is good at running or possibly skiing with you. My older dog was completely tuned in to me when he could be running. Using up his natural energy (a border collie/retriever/husky mutt). So easy to direct. I spaced out for just one second, didn’t give him the right direction, and he got too close to my front wheel. I slammed the breaks out of instinct, lept to the side of my bike because I could tell in a split second that my body was going to be tossed over the front of the bike. I started figure skating at age four so am expert at falling (not bracing but mid-air relaxing and going with it; rolling - I got a few stitches to my arm - my dog was rattled but ok).

It sounds like you have been trying many things simultaneously? Or maybe not? Are you trying one thing and seeing if something else is a better place for her to start?

That all said, I feel your frustration. My 9 month old doberman does not feel as easy on the leash as my older dog. Tug of war type. I do give her a small rope toy to carry in her mouth sometimes. My older dog went rollerblading with me for years (he’s 14 now, so he’s “retired”). I’d like to take my doberman rollerblading by the time she’s full grown but she has a lot of leash manners to work on before I add in anything potentially dangerous.

 

[MikeP]

Most basic training has been learned rather easy. compared to ''most'' dogs she is well mannered. she handles all basic commands and some cool stuff. will teach her how to find mushrooms later on

Jogging has worked fairly well, 20-30 minutes runs are ok until we are 5minutes away from home, massive biting issue. gives her treats/sticks etc which calms her somewhat down

Walking or running beside a bicycle, with or without bikejouring kit, holy crap. as long as i walk beside the bike everything is ok, when i sit on the bike hyper mode is angaged and hell brakes lose when i start to pedal. have tried treats, toys, sticks, start-stop-start, start-sit (calm down)-start. massive issues with biting in left fot/arm/brakes and barking, jumping. massive overload of fun. Used 100hours maybe

XC, well the skislopes are not safe with her around. will only pull if someone is in front of her, and then nothing stops her. when we are alone, jumping issues, biting in leash, stepping on skiis, running in front of skiis, finds it very hard to go heel.Used 10-20 hours

common for jogging/skiing/biking - if she is off leash she will stay within 5-10meters but mostly close, if picking up any speed at all - trouble starts.
she cannot go off leash yet due to some ''issues''
the stop-sit-calm down-start procedure works, but there is very little progress

no professional trainers locally
there is a local XC skijouring club, with classes for kids and groups for advanced competition, we do not fit in either group. maybe in the competition group whe everything is sorted
have not yet used electrical collar as this is not allowed in Norway, might try that later on (dont tell anyone)
most of the time she is very nice indeed, like a Golden Retriever 80% of the time and 5% untrained guard dog

<< Most basic training has been learned rather easy. compared to ''most'' dogs she is well mannered. she handles all basic commands and some cool stuff. will teach her how to find mushrooms later on >>

Bailey ..... sounds like you've got a taste for truffles or a taste for € € € 🤫 ..... hopefully Bailey might find truffle hunting to be her thing. The novelty of truffle hunting dogs caught my interest — problem is I'm not in a region where truffles are commonly found ..... gotta move to PNW and the end of the Oregon Trail Willamette Valley @dobebug and @4x4bike ped country to make it useful.